Uncertainty is part of life. Whether it involves my health, finances, family, a major purchase, or just a difficult decision, I’ve learned that I don’t deal well with simply sitting back and wondering what might happen.

The way I deal with uncertainty is by gathering as many facts as I can.

I ask questions. I research. I look at different opinions. I compare what people are telling me with what I can actually verify. Sometimes I probably dig deeper than most people would, but for me, knowledge replaces some of the uncertainty with something I can work with.

That doesn’t mean I expect to find a perfect answer. Sometimes there isn’t one. You can gather all the facts in the world and still be left with a decision that involves some risk. But there is a big difference between worrying about something you don’t understand and making a decision after you’ve done your homework.

I also try not to confuse possibilities with probabilities. Almost anything can happen. The more important question is: How likely is it to happen based on the facts I have?

I’ve found that uncertainty becomes much easier to live with once I’ve reached the point where I can honestly say, I’ve gathered the information available to me, I’ve thought it through, and I’ve made the best decision I can with what I know today.

After that, there comes a point where more research isn’t going to change anything. That’s when I have to accept that I can’t control everything and move on.

For me, dealing with uncertainty isn’t about eliminating it.

It’s about replacing as much uncertainty as possible with facts—and then accepting whatever uncertainty remains.